One of my other loves is learning different languages. One of the languages which I have excelled at is Spanish. My journey in Spanish started in late 2004 as I prepared for my first ever all-inclusive vacation in Mexico.
In March 2005 for a week in Rincón de Guayabitos, Mexicó, I was able to at least read signs and understand some of what was being said around the bars. By November 2008, shortly after going vegan, I was able to converse with staff at an AI resort in Cuba. This was important because much of the staff at the 3 and 3+ star resorts that are at the upper limit of my budget cannot speak English. Having to explain that I no longer eat meat was much easier when I was able to explain it in their language.
The added bonus is that the bar staff treat you so much better!
So - in order to enhance your next visit to the sunny south (my next visit is Panama in November...), I'm starting a series of simple Spanish lessons geared to the vegan tourist. The lessons will be simple, consisting of 10 vocabulary words and 3 phrases.
Lesson I
Vocabulary:
piña = pineapple
calabaza = pumpkin (common at the buffet in Cuba)
uva = grape
seta = mushroom
limón = lemon
naranja = orange
manzana = apple
maíz = corn
ajo = garlic
judías = beans
Phrases:
No como la carne. = I don't eat meat.
Soy un vegano. = I'm a vegan.
También, no como queso. = Also, I don't eat cheese.
I hope this comes in handy and starts you on your way to understanding a little more when eating in the Caribbean, Mexico, or any Latin American locale. Lesson II will cover the dark side - meat. It's probably more important to know the words for the things you don't want to eat than those you do!
If you are interested in learning Spanish, or any language, try Lingo Zone. Lingo Zone is a great site to meet and chat with people around the world. You can easily be matched up with someone who's native tongue is the language you're trying to learn and who is trying to learn your language. As with all social sites, there are spammers - be aware!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Race Report - 5 Peaks Rattlesnake Point 12.7km
Believe it or not, Saturday, July 11, 2009 was the first time I've ever been in a running race that was delayed due to thunder storms. The Rattlesnake Point 12.7 km trail race is part of the Southern Ontario 5 Peaks trail running series. It's the only one of the series of races that I will run this year but I'm considering them all next season.
True to the criteria I set out in my 2009 race schedule post, this was a unique and interesting race. If it had been dry, the terrain would still have been somewhat treacherous. After being delayed 45 minutes because of a storm featuring a downpour, the course was a muddy, rocky, vertical mess. Without ever seeing the course, I had set a goal of 5:45 per km. I actually came close at 5:53 but I worked extremely hard to get that due to the mostly single track trail and rugged conditions.
The course is located along the Niagara Escarpment near Milton, Ontario (just west of Toronto). The escarpment is infamous for its rocks and cliffs. Some of the rocky climbs during this race could almost be considered cliffs. Luckily, you don't have to take my word for it. I had the fortune of following the cameraman from racedayrush.com and their web site contains a video of the race partially filmed from a helmet cam by an actual runner in the race. I do appear in the video, however there is no timer on the video so I can't tell you the exact point. (Update: If you go full screen, there is a timer and I appear at 1:35 and last for a few seconds.) All I can tell you is that you see my back and I'm wearing a dark blue Adidas tech shirt with faded green Adidas shorts and a really faded black Adidas hat. Do I support Adidas? No. Just blind luck that I'd be wearing the Adidas ensemble. I was wearing a pair of New Balance 767's that were retired after the race after putting in around 750 km.
It was a great run. I finished exactly halfway in my age class and somewhere around halfway overall. It was hard to gage positioning because it was a wave start. It didn't really matter anyway. There was a friendly atmosphere that you might not find at a road race I think mostly due to being out in nature and all being in it together against whatever Mother Nature could fire our way.
Reminders
I just want to say that I still have Ontario Provincial Park day passes available for anyone who wants one (or two, or three...). See this post for more details.
Also, anyone wanting my copy of The Man Who Swam The Amazon can see this post. It's still up for grabs.
True to the criteria I set out in my 2009 race schedule post, this was a unique and interesting race. If it had been dry, the terrain would still have been somewhat treacherous. After being delayed 45 minutes because of a storm featuring a downpour, the course was a muddy, rocky, vertical mess. Without ever seeing the course, I had set a goal of 5:45 per km. I actually came close at 5:53 but I worked extremely hard to get that due to the mostly single track trail and rugged conditions.
The course is located along the Niagara Escarpment near Milton, Ontario (just west of Toronto). The escarpment is infamous for its rocks and cliffs. Some of the rocky climbs during this race could almost be considered cliffs. Luckily, you don't have to take my word for it. I had the fortune of following the cameraman from racedayrush.com and their web site contains a video of the race partially filmed from a helmet cam by an actual runner in the race. I do appear in the video, however there is no timer on the video so I can't tell you the exact point. (Update: If you go full screen, there is a timer and I appear at 1:35 and last for a few seconds.) All I can tell you is that you see my back and I'm wearing a dark blue Adidas tech shirt with faded green Adidas shorts and a really faded black Adidas hat. Do I support Adidas? No. Just blind luck that I'd be wearing the Adidas ensemble. I was wearing a pair of New Balance 767's that were retired after the race after putting in around 750 km.
It was a great run. I finished exactly halfway in my age class and somewhere around halfway overall. It was hard to gage positioning because it was a wave start. It didn't really matter anyway. There was a friendly atmosphere that you might not find at a road race I think mostly due to being out in nature and all being in it together against whatever Mother Nature could fire our way.
Reminders
I just want to say that I still have Ontario Provincial Park day passes available for anyone who wants one (or two, or three...). See this post for more details.
Also, anyone wanting my copy of The Man Who Swam The Amazon can see this post. It's still up for grabs.
Challenge Update - Weight Loss Goal Achieved!
On July 7, 2009, I tipped the scales at 175 pounds. As I stated in my post on June 7, 2009, I would drop 10 lbs. from 185. As a result of not only losing the 10 lbs, but also as a result of consistently doing the things I needed to do to achieve this goal, I feel great physically, I feel great mentally and I look fantastic!
In my original post, I stated 10 things that would help me to achieve this goal. I utilized all these ten 'tools', however some carried much more value than others.
In my original post, I stated 10 things that would help me to achieve this goal. I utilized all these ten 'tools', however some carried much more value than others.
- I refrained from sugar drinks. I believe this is one of the biggest problems with society today. Carbonated drinks are nothing but poison (just read the label! You need a degree in chemistry to understand what you're drinking.) and one of the major causes of obesity, cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
- No eating between dinner and bedtime. This one is huge for me because if I decide to have a 'deserved' salad after working out, running and playing hockey - it awakens a monster within that cannot be controlled without several trips to the kitchen! Besides, I'm able to stay awake longer without the full stomach and it is much easier to get up in the morning when you have something immediate to look forward to (breakfast!).
- EXERCISE!!! Running, working out and 3 weekly nights of hockey - It's gotta help! Throw in a bit of cycling and a new focus on the abs for good measure.
- Commitment. By putting my goals on this blog and pretending that a huge crowd is reading it actually got me through some days where I felt like breaking down and sitting in front of the TV all night with a bag of chips and a jar of salsa.
- Portion control. Yes, being a vegan means being able to eat a little more than a omnivore, but it still does you no good to stuff yourself. It makes you feel like shit and takes away from the time you could be exercising. Instead of two plate loads of food, I reduced my intake down to one moderate plate or bowl.
That's it. That's all it takes. It can be argued day and night whether my addiction to green tea helped as well, but the above five items were what powered me through. It wasn't too long ago that I was hopelessly stuck at 207 lbs. I almost believed that that was just the way it went when you aged and I would have to live with it and start getting my collection of daily pills from my doctor. So, if I can do it, anyone can do it. I'm now 32 lbs. lighter than I was in 2005. I could still stand to lose maybe 5 more pounds, but I'm pretty much where I want to be and believe me, I'm going to keep it that way.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Finding Your Happy Place
There’s a dream that I have often. I’m running on a trail in the woods. Meandering along the left side of the trail like an old companion is a fast running brook. On the other side of the trail is a steep climb but it never affects the trail. The trail runs relatively flat and smooth. The temperature is perfect. It is summer and the days are long. I’m running at dusk, but dusk lasts forever as does the trail. Never do I pass over a road or through civilization. I’m breathing hard but am not out of breath. I’m as swift as the wind, but I’m at an easy stride. It’s just an endless run through the woods, beside the brook.
This is one of my happy places. Many times in the movies, you hear the psychiatrist telling his/her patient to find his/her happy place. Many times, I was in a stressful situation and looked for my happy place but was unable to find it. I started to think about this more often and not just during a stressful situation. I started to realize that I have several re-occurring dreams that have been with me for a long, long time. Some have been with me since I was a kid. In these dreams I found not just my happy place but my happy places.
There’s also the spring fed pond back in the woods that is crystal clear and teeming with fish. This dream stems from my love for fishing when I was young. Although I no longer wish to catch or eat fish, I love to see them as they are one of the earth’s most diverse and beautiful creatures.
In fact, most of my happy places involve trails, crystal clear water and Mother Nature’s isolation. The only exception that I can think of is being in New York City in the summer time. But there is a similarity. When I visit Manhattan, even though I am surrounded by millions of people, I feel safer than being in any other city that I’ve ever visited. I also feel a strange and comforting isolation. I believe it’s in knowing that not one of those millions of people even knows I’m there. It’s as though I’m invisible. However, there is still the comforting feeling that I would immediately become visible if in distress and would be helped by many of the incredibly compassionate people of that great city.
Okay, so New York isn’t actually one of my re-occurring dreams but it is one of my happy places. We are always trying to find the meaning in re-occurring dreams. Sure, some aren’t very pleasant for some people but if you’re like me, most of them are. I now believe the meaning of giving us these dreams over and over is to imprint in our minds a happy place to easily get away to when the mental going get’s a little too tough to handle.
Keep an eye out for these locations while you sleep. It might not be a full dream. It might only be a smidge of an image. Remember them and how happy they make you feel inside. Recall them the next time you’re in the dentist’s chair, or taking off in an airplane or making a speech at your best friend’s wedding. Take a little vacation at your happy place then get on with what you have to do with a refreshed mind.
This is one of my happy places. Many times in the movies, you hear the psychiatrist telling his/her patient to find his/her happy place. Many times, I was in a stressful situation and looked for my happy place but was unable to find it. I started to think about this more often and not just during a stressful situation. I started to realize that I have several re-occurring dreams that have been with me for a long, long time. Some have been with me since I was a kid. In these dreams I found not just my happy place but my happy places.
There’s also the spring fed pond back in the woods that is crystal clear and teeming with fish. This dream stems from my love for fishing when I was young. Although I no longer wish to catch or eat fish, I love to see them as they are one of the earth’s most diverse and beautiful creatures.
In fact, most of my happy places involve trails, crystal clear water and Mother Nature’s isolation. The only exception that I can think of is being in New York City in the summer time. But there is a similarity. When I visit Manhattan, even though I am surrounded by millions of people, I feel safer than being in any other city that I’ve ever visited. I also feel a strange and comforting isolation. I believe it’s in knowing that not one of those millions of people even knows I’m there. It’s as though I’m invisible. However, there is still the comforting feeling that I would immediately become visible if in distress and would be helped by many of the incredibly compassionate people of that great city.
Okay, so New York isn’t actually one of my re-occurring dreams but it is one of my happy places. We are always trying to find the meaning in re-occurring dreams. Sure, some aren’t very pleasant for some people but if you’re like me, most of them are. I now believe the meaning of giving us these dreams over and over is to imprint in our minds a happy place to easily get away to when the mental going get’s a little too tough to handle.
Keep an eye out for these locations while you sleep. It might not be a full dream. It might only be a smidge of an image. Remember them and how happy they make you feel inside. Recall them the next time you’re in the dentist’s chair, or taking off in an airplane or making a speech at your best friend’s wedding. Take a little vacation at your happy place then get on with what you have to do with a refreshed mind.
Living In The Present
It wasn't exactly at the time I turned 40, but it was the benchmark age that was constantly going through my head. Shortly before the big 4-0, I found that I was falling into the habit of trying to calculate time that had passed by in life and trying to compare that to how much time I thought I had left. This is probably the most futile thing a person can do! I found that some things that happened 20 and even 30 to 35 years ago stood out so vivid as if they'd happened yesterday (a blink of an eye, so to speak) and some things that happened 2, 5 or 10 years ago were a complete blur that seemed in my mind to have occurred in a different lifetime.
I made some pretty crazy revelations like: twice the time had passed between my birth and now than had passed between the end of World War I and my birth; In only 6 or 7 years I would be paying for my children's university education; People I'd gone to school with and grown up with and hadn't seen in years were starting to die off not from car and motorcycle accidents but from terminal diseases and heart attacks, things associated with old age.
It got to me for a while. I was going to die someday and that day was not getting any further away. After I realized that this idea was driving me to the brink of insanity, I decided I needed to do something about it. I centered my attention on my health since it was the one thing that could prolong my demise the longest. I, of course, became vegan and I pushed my physical fitness to levels only comparable to those glorious years in high school (in some areas even beyond that). Most importantly, I convinced myself that living in the past and the future was a waste of time. I began to live in the present.
I've stolen 10 quotes about living in the present. They fall in no particular order, but all inspire me and I hope they will inspire you. In recent years, a little internet invention called Facebook has skewed our perceptions of the past by bringing it all back in a big rush right in our faces. It gives us little triggers that bring back the glory days and make us long for it all to be real again. I still love to use Facebook but I realize that you can't go back and just maybe those glory days were no less glorious than the day you're currently experiencing.
I made some pretty crazy revelations like: twice the time had passed between my birth and now than had passed between the end of World War I and my birth; In only 6 or 7 years I would be paying for my children's university education; People I'd gone to school with and grown up with and hadn't seen in years were starting to die off not from car and motorcycle accidents but from terminal diseases and heart attacks, things associated with old age.
It got to me for a while. I was going to die someday and that day was not getting any further away. After I realized that this idea was driving me to the brink of insanity, I decided I needed to do something about it. I centered my attention on my health since it was the one thing that could prolong my demise the longest. I, of course, became vegan and I pushed my physical fitness to levels only comparable to those glorious years in high school (in some areas even beyond that). Most importantly, I convinced myself that living in the past and the future was a waste of time. I began to live in the present.
I've stolen 10 quotes about living in the present. They fall in no particular order, but all inspire me and I hope they will inspire you. In recent years, a little internet invention called Facebook has skewed our perceptions of the past by bringing it all back in a big rush right in our faces. It gives us little triggers that bring back the glory days and make us long for it all to be real again. I still love to use Facebook but I realize that you can't go back and just maybe those glory days were no less glorious than the day you're currently experiencing.
- If you are still talking about what you did yesterday, you haven't done much today. - author unknown
- We seem to be going through a period of nostalgia, and everyone seems to think yesterday was better than today. I don't think it was, and I would advise you not to wait ten years before admitting today was great. If you're hung up on nostalgia, pretend today is yesterday and just go out and have one hell of a time. - Art Buchwald
- When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us. - Alexander Graham Bell
- If you have one eye on yesterday, and one eye on tomorrow, you're going to be cockeyed today. - author unknown
- Nothing is worth more than this day. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And today? Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present. - Babatunde Olatunji
- I have realized that the past and future are real illusions, that they exist in the present, which is what there is and all there is. - Alan Watts
- We are always getting ready to live but never living. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
- We crucify ourselves between two thieves: regret for yesterday and fear of tomorrow. - Fulton Oursler
- One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon - instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today. - Dale Carnegie
The highlighted quotes are my favourites of the favourites...
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